AN 18-year-old woman who bullied, harassed and assaulted Northwich schoolgirl Lauren Lelonek for a period of six months in the lead up to her death, has been allowed to walk free from court.

Cassandra Taylor, 18, and a co-defendant who cannot be named due to her age, appeared at Chester Youth Court today, Thursday, June 8 after pleading guilty to harassment of Lauren and another unnamed victim.

The court heard that Taylor and her co-defendant physically and verbally bullied the two schoolgirls from September 2015 to February 2016.

Lauren died at the age of 16 on June 10, 2016, after an incident in her home.

The Youth Court heard that on one occasion, Taylor launched an attack when she got out of a car which pulled up next to the two victims, and assaulted them, pulling hair, pushing and kicking the unsuspecting girls. She then got back into the car and the male driver drove away.

Chris Fontaine, prosecuting, said: “Lauren called the police and Cassandra posted a status on Facebook saying ‘snitches get stitches’.

“Cassandra then sent a Facebook message to Lauren about the assault, containing a screengrab of a conversation with a potential witness.

“She then messaged saying ‘remember girls, there’s always a way’.”

Cassandra’s mum, Angela, spoke at the sentencing, saying her family had suffered enough in the past year.

Angela said: “After Lauren died, she has been in the house for 11 months.

“We’ve had bricks thrown through the window and spat at in the street.

“After her dad died, it was posted all over Facebook that it was Karma that he died.

“I’m not saying they didn’t argue, but it was just schoolgirls arguing. We have paid for it for 11 months and it has been absolutely horrendous.”

When asked questions by chair of the bench, Frances Miller, Cassandra said she had no friends of her own age because she was bullied and turned to Lauren before they fell out.

Taylor said: “I’m sorry. I did it because I was really upset to have lost a friend when we fell out.

She also said she had ambitions to become a nurse because she would ‘like to be someone who helps people.’

The co-defendant said: “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done it. I should’ve just left it.”

Taylor was given a 12-month community order, being ordered to carry out 120 hours unpaid work.

Her co-defendant was given a 12-month referral order.

Mrs Miller added: “You were very close to receiving a custodial sentence and any breach of your orders may well result in that.”